Prophetic Priorities

Taught by Nancy S.

The topic of my lesson came from a BYU Speeches series titled “Prophetic Priorities” by Richard G. Hinckley.  As I read this talk I couldn’t help but think of the many conference talks I’ve listened to…talks from about 100 General Conferences, where our prophets teach of what the Lord would have us do.  I want to make an observation and I hope you’ve noticed this too.  Our Prophets teach, they joke, they encourage, they warn, they sometimes even chastise us, but always they are full of optimism.  They give us a feeling that there is great hope for the future, I never feel discouraged but rather encouraged to be better, to serve better, to love more, and to be more forgiving of myself and my fellowman. 

“In the year 1652 when through England all things sacred were either profaned or neglected, a church was built by Sir Robert Shirley….whose special praise it is to have done the best of things in the worst of times and to have hoped them in the most calamitous.”

The things our Prophets have been asking us to work on and pay attention to for years and years, are all things that if we heed their words we will experience blessings.  These are difficult and trying times.  It would be easy to become discouraged as we look to the future.   I hope we will look to our prophets for hope and encouragement as they move forward boldly in the best of ways even in the worst of times, and they continue to look forward with faith in the most calamitous.